5. “A Rose for Emily” is the story of a town’s curiosity regarding Miss Emily Grierson, beginning with her death and ultimately ending with her death and revealing what an odd, haunted life she led. Miss Emily had a very secretive life, with only a servant –who would say nothing when asked– knowing what went about in her old house. There is much discussion of a curious smell coming from Miss Emily’s house, and of a lover deserting her after her father’s death. In the end, it becomes apparent the lover had not deserted Miss Emily but had been killed by Miss Emily, who had bought poison for just such a purpose. The town can see Miss Emily’s true nature when they find she had lain next to him, possibly each night, in a sort of infatuated sickness. 4. Identity one protagonist and antagonist and discuss conflict: One protagonist is Judge Stevens and one antagonist is Miss Emily. The conflict is that Miss Emily is clearly very strange and possibly dangerous, but the Judge does not want to insult her or invade her privacy, there is also …show more content…
Three quotes from “The Chrysanthemums” (Steinbeck, 1938) that reveal something about the characters are: ‘Well, I can only tell you what it feels like. It 's when you 're picking off the buds you don 't want. Everything goes right down into your fingertips. You watch your fingers work. They do it themselves. You can feel how it is. They pick and pick the buds. They never make a mistake. They 're with the plant. Do you see? Your fingers and the plant. You can feel that, right up your arm. They know. They never make a mistake. You can feel it. When you 're like that you can 't do anything wrong. Do you see that? Can you understand that?’ (p. 54) ‘Elisa 's voice grew husky. She broke in on him. "I 've never lived as you do, but I know what you mean. When the night is dark—why, the stars are sharp-pointed, and there 's quiet. Why, you rise up and up! Every pointed star gets driven into your body. It 's like that. Hot and sharp